The Eagle
by Jacey-Kate
Summary: Jess is a very successful editor of a college paper. Because of this the contact with Rory is renewed and she realizes that she still loves him. Will they get their happily ever-after or weren't they meant to be after all? FUTURE-FIC
1. that famous Bedford school paper

A/N: ok, so this is my first story. reviews (both good and constructive) are very welcome! None of the characters are mine, no copiright infringement intended! It's actually a crossover with The Bedford Diaries, which was sadly not on air for long but is still on YouTube. In the BD Milo plays the editor Richard Thorne who reminded me of Jess, so this is where the idea comes from.

**The Bedford Eagle**

_Everything in seasons 2&3 happened as in the show. However, Jess did not tell Rory he loved her in season 4 but he did ask her to run away with him and give him another chance. Rory still said no but not as aggressive. Jess still saved Rory in season 6 but he didn't write a book. Instead he came to try one last time to convince Rory of him. But when she defended Logan, Jess moves on and let go whereas Rory refunds her everlasting love for Jess. Lorelai never slept with Chris and got married to Luke on the original date._

**Chapter 1: That famous Bedford school paper**

It had been a year since she had seen him last. It had been over a year since they had any contact, period. It was always weird being back in Stars Hollow and see all the places that held so many memories of them together. The bridge, the park, Luke's. It had taken her awhile to overcome the sickening feeling she got every time she got into Luke's after she broke up with Logan and realized that she was still in love with Jess, whom she had expertly driven away from her. It was similar to the time he left her before High School graduation only this time it was entirely her own fault.

"Hey, Rory! There you are!" Lorelai came bursting towards her daughter and pulled her into a huge hug. "I have the best plan for our weekend ever!"  
"You always have the best plan ever when I come home." Rory couldn't help but smile at her mother's euphoric greeting. God, she had missed her. The past few weeks her work at the paper didn't give her the chance to visit her.  
"I know. But this time I really do! Tonight, we will get our usual junk food but instead of watching a movie we can go into the new musical in Hartford. It's supposed to be this shabby version of _A Streetcar named Desire_."  
"Oh, mom. No. We cannot make fun of _A Streetcar named Desire_."  
"Even if it's a really, really shabby version?" Lorelai smiled in pleasant anticipation and was about to add something but was cut off by Rory's phone, "Oh, Rory, you've been here five minutes and you're already distracted."  
"Sorry, mom. Hey, why don't I take this call and you get over to Luke and get our coffees?"  
"I would love to whine about your divided attention but your arguments are too good."

Rory flicked her phone open on her way out. "Hello?"  
"Rory, it's me." A female voice answered.  
"Paris?"  
"Yes. Well, I'm going to apply to Bedford and I think you should do so, too."  
"Paris, I already told you a zillion times, I'm going to get a job after graduation." She sighed inwardly. How many times before had she told her friend this? "I don't need to look for a college, because I'm not going."  
"You want to be a journalist, right?" Paris continued, ignoring Rory.  
"Yeah."  
"And you want to be one of the best ones, right?"  
"Paris, listen, it's been a long time since I've seen my mom, so if you don't have point…"  
"Haven't you ever heard of the Bedford Eagle, Rory? Come on. You're the one who's obsessing about journalism and I have to make sure you notice all the important options out there? There's an article in the New York Times about that paper. I know you don't care much for my opinion-"  
"Paris, you know that's not true. I do care for your opinion!"  
"-but I know you have very deep faith in the opinion of the New York Times. So just read that article and get back to me, ok?"  
"Paris, I already know the Bedford Eagle. It's a very good college paper, we even talked about it in class once. I've also read it. Multiple times. And, yes, I do think it is awesome. But I'm not going to change my mind about college because of that."  
"Just read the goddamn article, Gilmore. And give me a call."  
"Fine." Rory hung up exasperated with her friend. She knew, she wouldn't win this one. But also, her curiosity was stirred. She had already heard lots of good things about the Bedford Eagle and now the Times was reporting about it? She would just have to buy one on her way home.


	2. articles and opinions

**Chapter 2: The article**

After a long night filled with humorous banter and junk food, Rory took her New York Times and retreated into her room. There it was. Front page. Headline.

_New York City.__ Bedford College has been in discussion often enough ever since it was founded only ten years ago. The school believes in introducing the students into the structure of real life and politics by putting great importance on cooperation of the Student Government, the school paper, the Board of Trustees and the Teacher Government. _

_Now, for the first time, there is only positive news about the school's paper, the Bedford Eagle. Ever since a change of editor last year, the career of the paper is going steep upwards. Not only does the paper have an enormous quote on campus but it has also found its way into the streets of New York._

_Never before has a college paper had this much success. It is even possibly the most representative college paper of America at this time. For News Globe Awards next week, the Bedford Eagle is nominated in the categories Best School Paper, Best Newcomer and Best Editor._

_The paper is extremely popular amongst the students of Bedford who are sensing a kind of patriotism towards their paper. But the Bedford Eagle has reached a popularity way above that. All over New York people of all ages read the paper on a regular basis. Experts even think the rise in interest in written news compared to the internet is greatly linked to the Bedford Eagle. _

_It seems there is a new star in the News scene. We're excited to see how many awards the paper will get next week and also we as the staff of the New York Times and we as journalists in general are greatly interested in meeting the editor of the Bedford Eagle, a young man who certainly is the most successful and interesting newcomer in the newspaper world. Already now, after only a little more than one year as an editor, he has reached success to his paper that no-one at Bedford ever dreamed of. From us, the Bedford Eagle gets five out of five stars. (dpa)_

Paris had been right. This was special. The paper had such great attention and only positive reviews, even the New York Times is praising it high. Who would be hurt if she applied for Bedford? Sure, it wasn't her original plan. But having worked at a paper like that… But then again, she had good chances as it was. Yet, her time off, her miserable internship… The article really gave her some things to think about.

As she always did, Rory started to sort her thoughts out by making a pro-con-list.

pro: it was an amazing paper

con: she couldn't start working

pro: her chances to get a job would rise

con: she didn't have the money

pro: her grandparents would love to loan her the money

No matter how long the lists got, Rory just couldn't decide. The Bedford Eagle was by all means an amazing paper but was it amazing enough to change her plan? Maybe she should ask other people for their opinions. Not opinions about her applying or not applying to Bedford but about the Bedford Eagle. Rory made a mind note to herself to get the Bedford Eagle tomorrow and give it some people to read. Her mom, Luke, Lane, her granddad…

She should call Paris.

Lorelai came strolled into the kitchen the next morning only to find Rory already at work. She had her pro-con-list, the Bedford Eagle, a Bedford brochure and several other notes scattered over the table.

"It's scary how active you can be at eleven in the morning. On a Sunday! Are you sure that you're my daughter? Or did an _Invasion_ take place last night?"

Rory looked up at her mom and smiled, "I'm still the same but I'm really unbelievably productive today."

Lorelai sat across from her daughter and took in all the brochures on the table. "What is this?" She took up the Bedford information brochure and quickly flicked through it. "Are you thinking on going to Bedford college after Yale?"

"I know it sounds crazy but-," Rory sopped a moment and took a deep breath, "I've done a lot of thinking last night. It really is an amazing paper. Paris and I even talked about it for like hours. Wait. Here" She handed her mom the article from the New York Times, "Read this."

"O-kay." Lorelai took the paper a little apprehensively from her daughter and began to read. While she did so, it was clear that her interest was caught somewhere in between the lines.

Rory watched her mom's face carefully. Her opinion was the most important on her list. She knew it wasn't quite the same but when she last made a decision concerning college ignoring her mother's worries, it had caused the most horrid time of her life with months without contact. A tense feeling crept inside of Rory. Everything stood and fell with her mom's input.

"So?" Rory asked her mom just as she put the paper down.

"Well, it sounds great. I mean-" Lorelai scanned the text again, not fully sure of her opinion yet.

"What, mom? What do you think?"

"I'm not sure yet, to be honest."

"If it's about the money I can ask the grandparents again. I'm sure they'll help out", Rory hurriedly explains.

"Yeah, no. It's not about the money. It's just that for the past two weeks all you talked about was finally being able to work. You seemed so excited with the idea of going into the world. I'm just not sure if this is really what you want. I mean, four more years of school can be a good thing and this Bedford college sounds great, but you do know that you will have to put off being Christian Amapour during this time, right?"

She was against it. Her mom was against going to Bedford. A feeling of nausea overcame Rory for a moment.

"No, honey, I don't mean that this isn't an amazing opportunity." Lorelai qickly picked up on the disappointment that her daughter unconsciously displayed in her face. "The paper obviously is big. It's probably way more important and, eh, bigger than the Yale Daily News."

"It is."

"Well, I think it would be great if you do this. Just-"

"Just?"

"Just make sure that it is really what you want."

Rory let out a long breath that she hadn't even notice she was holding back. "It is."

"And you're ok withnot working?"

"Well, Paris said that working in the Student Government, the paper or other student institutions at Bedford is paid."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, they pay more or less money to everybody there. Even the proof-reader."

Lorelai smiled at how passionate her daughter was about this. Last time she had seen her like this was when she was applying to the internship at the New York Times. "You know what? If the New York Times is even this avid about the Eagle, maybe they wil hire you when you've worked there."

"Yeah, maybe" Rory smiled broadly at this. After the rejection from the Times all she had wanted was to get working and show herself, show everybody out there that she could make it. But now, she refound her passion. And her mom was right, her chances at the Times could get increasingly better by this.

She stood up from her seat and gathered her stuff, "Well, I've got to be going."

"What? Where?"

"I brought some editins of the Eagle to Lane, Luke and Grandpa. I'll go see them and get their opinions and if everything goes well, I'll get to Paris' place and we'll fill out the applications together." Rory quickly hugged her mom goodbye before making her way to her car.

Lorelai smiled proudly to herself. She had done everything right with that kid.

A/N: This one is a bit longer than the first one. Again, both positive and constructive reviews are more than welcome!


	3. money makes the world go around

**Money makes the world go around.**

After going to Luke's first, Rory was a little confused and hoped for a more outright opinion of Lane. Luke had been very welcoming at first but had fallen into a weird stuttering when she started talking about the Eagle. He told her that he did like the paper - even hough it seemed he couldn't really tell why - but had advised her to not go to Bedford.

He had seemed somewhat nervous for no reason and that was throwing Rory a little off. After her mom approved of her plans she had mentally decided to actually do it already. Luke being weired about the whole subject insecured her for a little while.

"Lane?" Rory had stepped through the wide-open front doof of the house Lane and Zach had bought recently.

"Rory, hey." Lane came running towards her friend eagerly.

Rory hugged Lane fleetly. "Why are we whispering?"

"The boys finally fell asleep."

"Juan and Kwan?"

"And Zach."

Rory couldn't help but laugh a little at this. "Zach fell asleep, too?"

"He did, yes." Lane quitely joined her friends giggles. "He does that a lot. He always plays them some children's tunes on the guitar and always dozes off about ten minutes after them."

"That is so cute."

"I can show you a picture I took of it." While Lane went through the drawers in the living room she brought the topic to the Eagle. "So, I've read that paper, you know."

"What do you think?" Rory thought she could practically hear her voice shaking. The second most important adivse on the topic was about to be given out.

"It's great. I loved the humour in it. Plus, they have a really awesome music section."

Rory took the picture Lane was handing her and nervously fingered its edges. "I think I'm going to do Journalism at Bedford."

"Rory, that's great!"

The two sat down at the couch together and Lane nodded affirmatively. "You have to introduce me to the music columnist as soon as you know him!"

"It'll be four more years with Paris. But I guess she kind of grew on me." Rory couldn't hide her excitement but at the same time she wondered if it was normal being this insecure about a decision of that importance. She was sure she wanted to go but there were always these little voices of doubt in her head. But the advise she got was encouraging. Luke, well, his opinion Rory couldn't figre out and therefore she decided to let it rest. Her mom and Lane, they were behind her.

Now that list missed only one person: her grandpa.

If he was for it then she would get the money from her grandparents.

It would all be decided tommorrow night at the Friday's dinner.

"You know, we have to ring the bell sometime in the next three minutes or my mom will lecture us endlessly about being late."

The Gilmores stood in front of the grandparents' mansion in what seemed like reversed roles. Rory was eyeing the bell critically, not sure wether she was ready for what would happen inside, and Lorelai tried her best to to not be too impatient.

"I know."

"So?"

"So what?" Rory gave her mom an annoyed stare.

Unimpressed Lorelai pressed on, "So, are you going to ring the bell before the glorious Emily will be more annoying for the whole night than I seem to you right now?"

Taking a deep breath, the younger Gilmore finally calmed down a bit. "Im just nervous."

"I know, hon." Lorelai sympathically patted her daughters shoulder. It upset her to see her this distressed.

"No, I'm really nervous. This is it. If they think it's a bad idea, I won't be able to do it. I really want to do it."

"I _know_." Lorelai really did know. She knew what it was like to depend on her parents for money. She even knew what it was like to have to beg for it. "Rory, look. Whatever happens in there, whatever these crazy people decide to do- you still got me. I'm behind you. We can find a way!" Years ago, when she herself had to go in there, she had noone behind herself. Rory did, and she should know so.

Rory nodded. Her mom was right. It was not her only option. It would be the best and also easiest option but the only one? No. Finally having found the courage, she rung the bell.

"Hi, you two. Come on in." Emily herself answered the door for them and motioned for them to leave their coats by the door.

"No maid today, mom?"

"No, she has her free night off today." On the way into the living room she stopped and yelled in directioon of the office, "Richard, the girls are here!"

"You know, mom, the flowers in the foyer are really nice." Lorelai told Emily while she and Rory waited for the drinks.

"Lorelai, if you don't like the flowers..."

"No! Mom, I wasn't being sarcastic. I'm looking for nice flowers for the Inn and I just thought that yours were nice. That's all."

Emily looked at Lorelai closely for a few moments and then decided to believe her. "OK." She got up with a hars movement and added before leaving the room, "I'll go and give you my florist's number then."

As soon as Emily was out of the room, Rory turned to her mom. "Mom! You're making everything worse. Now she's in a bad mood and it gets even harder to ask for the money."

"I was just trying to lighten up the mood!"

"Well, you didn't do a good job here!"

Lorelai smiled apologetically. "Rory, they won't reject you. They're so proud of you. You are fulfilling all their dreams. Believe me."

Before Rory could answer that, her grandpa came into the living room. "Hey, girls. Rory. I've got to say you've got great taste."

"You like her dress, dad?"

Richard sighed a little but didn't feel unnerved by his daughter's remark. He had learned to handle her humour way better during the years. "No, Lorelai. I was talking about the paper she gave me." In a less stern voice he adressed Rory again. "I liked it very much."

"Well, I'm glad, grandpa. I'm really glad." Rory let out a nervous laughter. He liked it, which was good, but the hardest part was still in front of her.

"I have to say," Richard poured himself a scotch and took his usual place. "at first I thought that it had too many entertainment sections. The gossip, music, book, movie section and so on are pretty eloquent. But, I read them all and the articles are really good. And in the end, I didn't think the actual news and information part was too short."

At this, Emily reentered the room handing Lorelai a sheet of paper. "Oh, Richard, you're here. Good."

"Yes, Emily. In fact I was just talking to Rory about the Eagle."

Lorelai was filled with a strange feeling of pride when she saw her dad shoot Rory, her Rory, one of those approving and proud and loving glances he only gave her. She herself had never gotten one of those. At least she was pretty sure of that. Mabye in her early childhood he had once looked at her like that and she just couldn't remember. But her Rory, she deserved those glances. She desered being looked t like this, she deserved getting the money.

Rory also noticed that this was a good moment. One last deep breath, there she goes, "Actually, I was thinking, if maybe, the paper could be the next step." She put a strand of her hair behind her ear with a shaking hand. "I would love to continue my studies for another four years at Bedford. It is a really good university, the paper is one of the best and I would even get paid."

She couldn't read er grandparents' expressions. Were they approving? Or not?

"Of course I couldn't be editor. They have a really good editor who even won prices, but I could be a reporter. The Eagle is more professional than the Yale Daily News and in the real world it is of a greater importance. Also, it has an amazing reputation. My job chances would probably increase immensly."

Still no reaction. Now or never, Gilmore. "I was wondering, if you could - maybe - if it is no problem help me? With the money?"

A/N: What will the Gilmores say? Yes, no? Thanks for the feedback given so far, more (positive or constructive) is always welcome!


	4. Yes for Bedford

A/N: Ok, so I messed up Lane's kids' names last chapter, sorry. Of course it's Steve and Kwan. (Or Steve and Juan?) Anyways, in this chapter I'm making a little time lapse to finally get Jess in here ;) In the second part of the chapter the Italics are flashbacks. Again, positive and constructive reviews are always welcome. Oh, yeah, I kind of suck at discribing places. So if you want to know what the campus and the office look like take a look into the series Bedford Diaries at YouTube, it's worth it.

Chapter 4 : Yes for Bedford

The Gilmores were obviously taken aback by their granddaughter's question. Emily looked awkwardly at Richard. Richard stared at his drink.

After what seemed like an eternity to Rory, Richard looked at her and nodded. "We're going to help you." Emily just stared out the window, then got up and with the quick excuse of checking on dinner she left the room.

Still no word between the rest of them. Why didn't they seem happy for her? Rory felt ashamed for having asked for the money. She did have a weird feeling coming here tonight but she had still somehow believed this to be different, easier.

"Well," Lorelai finally got sick of the silence and stood. "Shall we go on into the living room then?"

"Lorelai, we're waiting for your mother first." Richard didn't even look up as he spoke to her. Lorelai was angry at him. How dare he make her daughter this uncomfortable? "Ok, well, then I'll just go and look for her."

Rory reached out for her mother's arm and mouthed a desperated _no _but Lorelai stormed out nonetheless.

She found her mother in the kitchen. "This is unbelieveable!" Lorelai watched her mother closely and gesticulated towards the random kitchen utensils that her mother seemed to be rearranging. "You only came here to hide out! Why did you just sit there, mom? Rory asked you for something and it took her some while to find the courage to do so and you and dad just didn't show any real reaction to it! I thought you'd be happy she is aiming for an even higher educational level!"

"Oh, Lorelai, stop it!" Emily now shoved away the utensils and turned towards her daughter, matching her voice level. "You know that we care about Rory!" She straightened her blouse and continued in a softer voice, "Of course we want her to have the best education she can get, of course we don't have a problem giving her the money. But that paper is really huge. Richard and I have read the article about it in the New York Times. Rory will only be a small fisch in a big lake."

"But that doesn't matter. Rory knows that. She's ok with that."

"Are you sure Lorelai? Lots of people with a powerful opinion in the paper business will be in contact with her. And what if they tell her that her article isn't good enough? Are you sure that she could handle it? Last time something like that happened she completely lost her way. We're all glad she found back into her life but will she be able to do so another time?"

Lorelai just stood there. Taking it all in. She should have something to say to this. But it was true. Her daughter had collapsed last time someone important critizised her. She had organized tea parties and joined the DAR and wasted her life partying and drinking. "She's stronger now. It won't happen again."

"We all hope it doesn't. But there's no guarantee. We'll give her the money. But I'm not sure she's strong enough yet to handle it."

-l-l-l-

4 months later

Rory got up in the early morning hours and proudly took in her surroundings. She made it. She was in her dormroom in Bedford.

There were more than one reason why Rory was so happy and proud to finally be here. First, she had wanted it so bad after she had read the article and it was a major satisfaction to now be able to be a part of the Eagle. Second, they had finally been happy for her. _Them_ being her grandparents.

It had been hard asking for the money and it had been even harder to see their reaction. The whole Friday night dinner was filled with awkward silences and forced small-talk. They had agreed to give her the money but not for another four weeks Rory had found out why they didn't seem excited at all. It had confused her how positive her granddad had been about the paper but then didn't seem to approve of her being a part of it.

_Her mom had left the room several minutes ago and there was no word spoken between them. "Maybe I'll get those two back, so that we can eat." Richard started getting up from his seat._

_"Grandpa!" She called out to him half desperate, half asking, "What is going on? You said that you were amazed by that paper."_

_"I was. I'm not so sure whether it is the right step for you."_

She hadn't understood his reaction back then. She still hadn't understood their reaction when Lorelai had told her what was going on.

_"They don't believe i can make it?" Disbelief filled Rory's voice. She had been valedictorian at Chilton. She was one of the Top 5% in her year in Yale._

_"They're just afraid, honey." It was weird hearing Lorelai defend her parents. "Of course they believe in you. But the whole situation last year was hard on them, too. They thought that they could help you and then they felt like they couldn''t and my mom was certain she had lost you after you moved out."_

_"She was?" She hadn't known that._

_"Rory, I told your grandma that you have learned from that experience. I also told her that you're way stronger than back then. Give them a little time."_

Strangely enough, time had really helped this time. The Gilmores had grown strangely supportive of her in the past weeks, something Rory would've never thought of after the first time she told them her plan. They had given her a Bedford hoodie and they had helped her to get one of the larger dormrooms. Compared to her dorm in Yale it was still tiny of course, but she liked it. And her family and friends liked it, too. And they supported it. That was a great part of it for her.

Today she and Paris wanted to go to the paper which sadly hadn't been part of the Freshman tour the day before.

"Gilmore! I thought you'd never get up!" Paris came bursting through the door without nocking. Gladly - and partly due to her grandparens even - they weren't sharing dorms this time.

"Paris! My roommate's sleeping." Rory quickly got together her stuff and stepped out to Paris on the hall. "You could've woken her up!"

"So?" Paris started walking in her usual fast pace.

"So?" Struggeling to keep up, Rory quickened her own pace. "So, it's like 7am. On a Saturday."

"The people from the paper are up. We are up. 7am is a good time to get started."

Rory gave the discussion up with a muffled "fine" as they got outside the building. Even though not as green as the campus of Yale, due to its location in Manhattan, the Bedford campus was beautiful. There weren't much students about at this time but that only gave Rory the opportunity to take in the beauty of the buildings in the morning sun.

They finally got to the building were the paper was located, all the while Paris was ranting nervously. She only stopped when they opened the door and stepped into an open-plan office where there were students rushing around, working.

For someone who had already worked at another college paper, even for Rory and Paris who had both worked at an Ivy League paper for years, the different atmosphere in the room was seizable. It was a comfortable atmosphere but it was also more serious, more professional.

They then noticed the office of the editor which, to Paris' pleasure, was seperated from the open-plan office with thin walls. Yet, it did in no way compare to the bunker Paris had built herself at the Yale Daily News since due to the glass door and the huge windows the office was somehow integrated into the rest of the room.

"The door is open." Even the otherwise so bold Paris lowered her voice somewhat shyly.

Rory followed her friend's glance and without taking her eyes from the office asked, "Should we go over?"

"Is somebody in?" The both tried to see if there was someone sitting at the desk from where they were standing.

Their assumption that no-one was in was confirmed when they saw someone head into the office and sit down at the desk. The editor had just come in.

Rory took a closer look at him. He was good-looking- in that moment he turned around to face one of the writers who had gone into the office and she could see his face. Was that-?

"Jess."


End file.
